Influenced by residual fear from last year’s experience and reports of heavy flooding on TV channels many Mumbaikars just stayed home.
MUMBAI: When Snehal Gaikwad, 24, of Dombivli, switched on his TV on Monday morning, he thought Mumbai was flooded, because that’s what reports told him. Andheri was flooded, they said, and Kurla too. So Gaikwad went to the Dombivli railway station expecting to reach his office in Andheri late, or not at all.
But trains were running, though slowly, Gaikwad told DNA, and he reached on time only to find that his employers had closed the office in anticipation of heavy flooding — that didn’t happen.
So Gaikwad took another train to CST with his friend Nilesh Michael, (another smooth journey, he said) and went shopping to Fashion Street.
While the rains were heavy on Monday, the deluge that was forecast by some never took place. But influenced by residual fear from last year’s experience and reports of heavy flooding on TV channels many Mumbaikars just stayed home. Streets were relatively empty and many schools remained shut.
Reporters crowded the BMC headquarters, but the story turned out to be not so sensational. Speaking to the throng, Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph said, “When you create a situation like this, people get more frightened.”
Here, in a nutshell, is what happened: at 127.3mm in the city, 160.5mm in the western suburbs, and 131.4mm in the eastern suburbs, the rain was heavy. These are readings taken from 3.30am to 5.30pm on Monday from the BMC’s rain gauges, and they show that Vikhroli received the most rainfall of 195.2mm. Heavy, but nowhere near the 944mm that poured down on July 26, 2005.
5 killed, 1 injured
Two died after a tree collapsed at Mulund. Anil Pedamkar and Sanjay Bani, drowned at Kashi Mira and Sanjog Rathod drowned in a well at Dadar. Forshan building at CP Tank, near Grant Road collapsed, injuring one.
Closed schools just a rumour
Municipal commissioner Johny Joseph denied that the government had advised schools to close. Some private schools let students go when rains became heavy, sparking rumours that Monday would be a holiday.
BMC quick to act: Joseph
There was water-logging at 26 places: six in the island city, 14 in the western suburbs, and six in the eastern. BMC deployed powerful pumps at 85 locations. Workers were rushed to the spots to drain water away.
Spot a tidal wave, anyone?
The heavy rain, combined with reports of water-logging and terrible memories of last year’s deluge, kept most people at home. There was a rumour that a tidal wave would hit Mumbai at 5pm.
Minor delays, no major problems
Suburban trains were up to 30 minutes late. BEST buses on 11 routes were diverted, but normal movement returned by 11am, BMC said. Flights were delayed by 30-45 minutes. But there were no cancellations or chaos.
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